This is a high rock rate post: Bruce Springsteen and a Tuscan sandwich

When Bruce Springsteen began to sing I was not even born. I started to listen to his music more attentively since 2006, when my rock’n’roll younger sister accidentally handed me Magic, that soon became the soundtrack of my car trips, and still is the album I choose whenever I want to drive lightheartedly enjoying the road. Since then, though, it has been a crescendo of love and admiration for the lyrics of his songs, the atmosphere, the music, the true stories he sings for us. A crescendo of love and admiration for him, The Boss.

I went back in time to find the old videos of his songs, I listened to Fire in the car until I got to know every pause and breath. Since then he accompanied me in the days when summer comes, with Girls In Their Summer clothes, in my travels by car, in the saddest moments and when I was searching for some self-confidence and determination. He was there with his music, and this was enough to turn him in a few years into my favorite artist, said with the enthusiasm of a teenager, holding her diary tightly close to her heart with dreamy eyes.

You might say that even this blog grew up with his music, from the earliest posts in which I listened to his songs for inspiration (just look here and here) to my birthday, when I wished that someone would sing me Surprise Surprise (and I’m still waiting …).

Sunday, the 10th of June 2012, I was at his concert at the Artemio Franchi stadium in Florence, a dream come true, a late Christmas present for me and Claudia. I felt as you feel when you’re fifteen: free, excited, reckless and irresponsible. Irresponsible of my mobile phone, my bag with my driving license and ID card, the book that I had brought to spend some time while waiting on the lawn, the clothes that were slowly soaking up with rain, the shoes, the waterproof mascara, which started to show signs of weakness.

I danced and sang like a teenager in the rain for three hours and a half, jumping, clapping my hands, keeping up with the pace, moved by The River, excited by Waiting on a sunny day. I finally experienced a concert I will proudly remember and say I was there, under that rain, he said also to me you fucking die hard, when we asked for yet another song despite the rain that was soaking us in the last three hours. And what did he sing? Who’ll stop the rain, he is unique, Bruce, The Boss, he is unique.

Then there’s the sandwich. I thought I would have written a completely different introduction, some bucolic stuff, picnic, green lawns and shady beeches, but today I desperately wanted to tell you something about the concert, I was so excited, so I thought… how can I relate a Tuscan sandwich to Bruce Springsteen’s concert?

For a start, it would have been much wiser to bring this sandwich in our backpack with some fruit and a bottle of water instead of buying a fake sandwich there, paying it an astronomical price in the stadium (one tenth of the ticket, I paid for the sandwich one tenth of what I spent on the concert!), but as my high school Italian teacher used to say, if they had wisdom, they wouldn’t be children…

And then, let’s face it, this is a rock sandwich! The grilled pecorino cheese, especially when it’s still pretty young, releases all its milk richness, then it is enhanced by a smoked note that makes it even more appetizing. And then there’s half a teaspoon of mustard mixed with honey… pure rock, sweet and biting, a rock ballad!

In Tuscany we love eating fresh pecorino with fava beans during or May Day picnics. We add tiny drops of golden honey to pecorino as well, to match its milky savory texture with some sweetness. Tuscan bread is the perfect bland background to a tasty filling of grilled pecorino cheese, fava beans pesto and a thin layer of honey, heated up by a slight hint of mustard.

You'll need

2 handfuls of shelled fresh fava beans

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 pinch of salt

1 teaspoon raw honey

½ teaspoon mild mustard

1 thick slice of fresh pecorino cheese (about 40 g)

2 slices of Tuscan bread

How to make it

Crush the fava beans in a mortar with a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of olive oil until you get a creamy pesto.

Whip a teaspoon of honey with half a teaspoon of mild mustard in a small bowl.

Toast the Tuscan bread slices on both sides until slightly golden and crunchy on the outside.

Spread one slice with the honey mustard mixture and one slice with the fava bean pesto.

Grill the pecorino slice on both sides until golden and slightly melting.

Lay the pecorino cheese over the honey mustard spread and top with the fava bean pesto slice.

OK—I listened to Bruce during my formative years. (I’m not a baby like you! 🙂 ). My sister, however, is a Bruce fanatic. Seriously. She drove all the way to my city b/c we had an art theater that was showing his London concert film earlier than anywhere else. This was an 8 hour drive for her! She would be so envious of your Bruce adventure BUT that being said, she and I are going to his concert in Wrigley Field in September! (8 hour drive for me!) Great looking sandwich!

I can feel your excitement and I close my eyes see you and Claudia jumping up and down and singing as loud as you can. All the prefect things to do when going to your favorite concert. To be free and yourself despite so many people is exhilirating!!
Yes a perfect sandwich to celebrate a perfect (wet) day with the one and only the Boss!!
xox
Karin

My favourite Bruce Springsteen song is Born to Run, I hope he played that at the concert for you. His music makes me feel like a teenager again too. It would be amazing to see him. Lucky you! I’m glad you could go see him.

I saw bruce when he came to Buffalo NY this spring – it was amazing! I have only started listening to him in the past couple years, but I loved every second of it. All people, young or old, can related to his songs. I just love your blog and can’t wait to see what delicious recipes you are going to post next! I’m so glad I found it!

I’m so so jealous of you, seeing Bruce Springsteen. He only played a 3 day-festival here in the Netherlands this year, so I didn’t go, but I so so so want to go to his show. Next time, right? I’m glad you got to enjoy it though, sounds (and looks) like you had an absolutely awesome time!

My husband grew up being a huge Bruce Springsteen fan. He was a country boy from southern Missouri (US) and Bruce Springsteen resonated with all the teenage boys (and girls!) who were of the “salt of the earth” type. Your photos of the concert are wonderful and what a sandwich to have to tantalize the tastebuds as well as the music!!

Hi! I’m Gabor from Hungary, we had a dinner together in Castellina with You, my girlfriend and Angelo:)

Wow, if you’d mentioned that you are a Bruce fan… me also! We’re going to his concert in Vienna next thursday. This will be my third gig, after Vienna and Udine 3 yrs ago.
I’ve also started with Magic (my uncle showed it), I think the best song on it is Long Walk Home.

We’ve been reading through your blog – congratulations, it’s fantastic! So many great recipes and good stories.